Alice in the Land of Steam

Chapter 1384 The legendary starting point?
Undoubtedly, this is a very sensitive topic.

After hearing about this from the Eagle of Grayhill, Ling had been pondering it ever since. If even the isolated Noahs on the distant subcontinent of Andriel could see the problem, did the Holy War Army truly fail to grasp its importance? Public opinion was turning against them; the opinions of others, seemingly insignificant, could actually influence many things. The heroes were able to lead the Holy War Army and spread the flames of rebellion throughout the entire Yaras United Empire thanks in no small part to the influence of public opinion; conversely, what made them could also destroy them.

Taking this opportunity, the young man wanted to know Cheryl's true thoughts.

She is the leader of the Jihad Army, and in a sense, her ideas represent the Jihad Army's decisions.

So, what exactly is Cheryl thinking?

It's simple; she didn't care.

Although the girl quickly regained her gentle smile, the fleeting contemptuous curve at the corner of her lips could not escape the young man's eyes. However, this contempt was not directed at Linge, but at those who made the remarks, who were both sharp and extremely naive.

“If they could realize that this is a war for survival, not for some so-called righteous cause or peace, they wouldn’t say such things.” Cheryl’s voice remained gentle, but her words became much harsher: “It is often said that the enemy of my enemy is my friend. Therefore, based on this extreme reasoning, it is unilaterally assumed that the Holy War Army should first join forces with the Imperial Army to resist external enemies, and then resolve internal disputes. But the nature of war is far more complex than that.”

She held up three fingers: "First, the Western Continent people are not our enemies, at least not for now; second, the Imperial Army is our enemy, and always will be; finally, since its inception, the Holy War Army's goal, purpose, and even program have never been to overthrow the Empire, but rather... to rebuild Atorica."

There is a huge difference between overthrowing and rebuilding, not only in terms of primary and secondary importance, but also in terms of practical significance.

She gave Ling a deep look, her gaze almost tangible, piercing through the air and reaching his very soul. In that moment, the young man seemed to see a flame burning deep within her eyes—was it a steadfast devotion to ideals, or a clear-eyed understanding of reality? Cheryl was well aware of the consequences her words would have if they were to spread, but she understood even more clearly that war and resistance were never products of compromise, only of politics.

Given the current state of the Holy War Army, it's far from the point where politics should be discussed. Even if they wanted to, the Empire wouldn't take it seriously. Otherwise, how could they maintain such a high-pressure and exploitative policy towards the Atoliga province while simultaneously resisting the Western colonists? In fact, it might be even worse.

For every ore mined, every ton of metal forged, and every weapon produced enough to arm an army, at least a hundred miners, or even a thousand laborers, would perish. The more dire the situation on the front lines, the more brutal the whips would fall upon slaves and laborers in the rear. Did the Empire not know that this would not increase productivity at all, but would only incite hatred? No, of course they knew, they were just mocking them.

Look, even though we oppress, exploit, and disregard the residents of this land, public opinion in the entire East Continent is still on our side, because the Allied Army is the main force resisting the invaders, while you are nothing but filthy parasites plotting in the gutter.

Kneeling down, begging for forgiveness, and continuing to be our slaves is the only way out.

Of course, perhaps intimidated by the former scale of the Jihad Army, they were willing to offer a more palatable name—whether it was cooperation or alliance, there was essentially no difference. Cheryl was absolutely unwilling to entrust the lives of billions to a powerful force, or to admit that the uprising had been a complete failure.

Not everyone is easily swayed by those high-sounding words, especially when she carries the future of this land on her shoulders.

Lin Ge roughly understood what she meant, and it seemed he could also understand why the Holy War Army was indifferent to those opinions. On the one hand, it was because they did not have the ability to influence or change public opinion, and on the other hand, it was because... there was no need.

Those commentators who only know how to talk will never understand the true meaning of war, hatred, oppression, and enslavement—which is precisely history's duty: to show everyone the real world. Unfortunately, the Eastern Continent lacks a single qualified historian; it is filled only with theocracy, feudalism, and other biased perspectives.

A brief silence fell over the room, broken only by the soft crackling of the burning candlelight, as if echoing his thoughts. Faint breathing could be heard, but it could not break the heavy stillness.

“In that case,” the young man said softly, “I have no further questions. Let’s discuss the details of the deal, Miss Cheryl.”

Hearing this, Cheryl's eyes softened considerably: "You are a very understanding person, Mr. Ringer. But before we get to the specifics of the deal, I need to say something on a different topic to help you better understand the meaning of this doctrine, and in fact, it has a very close relationship with this Feather Elf lady."

"Huh! Me?" Ietta, who had been sitting at the very back pretending to be invisible, opened her eyes wide in surprise and pointed at herself, asking in return.

“It’s you, it can only be you, Miss Ietta.” Cheryl said, slowly unfastening the sword from her back and placing it on the table. She gestured for the angel to examine it carefully, then asked, “Do you recognize this sword?”

The sword made a crisp sound as it struck the table, as if awakening a long-dormant memory. The patterns on the scabbard shimmered in the candlelight, seemingly concealing countless stories.

Cheryl slowly drew the sword out, its cold light gleaming in the candlelight like the setting moon.

Ietta was sitting at the back and couldn't see very clearly. Moreover, the other girls, out of curiosity, crowded around and examined the sword from all angles, blocking her view. It wasn't until Ovira spoke up to shoo them away: "Go, go, all of you move aside, let Ietta see first!"

The crowd dispersed, allowing Ietta to see the sword on the table clearly. It was a beautiful sword, as radiant as moonlight, with a long and bright blade. Vibrant red roses bloomed on the cage-like hilt, and gold and silver gems were inlaid at the end of the hilt. The light flowed between them like ripples on water or mist, making it unforgettable and unforgettable.

"This appears to be the work of silver elves and dwarves."

Hino said, though her tone was speculative, her expression was certain. The Ice Heart armor and White Thorn holy lance, passed down through generations of the Gostaff family, were both crafted by silver elves and dwarves in collaboration. Their craftsmanship and style were identical; she couldn't possibly be mistaken. Of course, there was one detail she didn't mention: this sword, like her Ice Heart armor and White Thorn holy lance, was a weapon blessed by fairies.

The reason for not mentioning it is not to hide anything, but because it is already widely known, even reflected in the sword's name—"The Fairy Sword, Sidras".

Ovira murmured. She had only seen the shape of the sword in books, but this was the first time she had ever handled it so closely: "Legend has it that the spirits of Assyria in Paradise City bestowed this sword upon a hero, helping him to defeat his enemies and protect the weak. With the sword in hand, the hero was as if divinely aided, and even in one battle, he forcefully killed two deities of the empire, which caused the enemy to flee in fear, allowing the Holy War Army to gain a foothold..."

But in the end, the hero died from his injuries, and the fairy sword Hydras was once again covered in dust, until the hero's sister stepped forward in the time of crisis, and like her brother, she gained its approval. She wielded the sword to protect the land beneath her feet and her companions behind her.

A clichéd yet touching story.

But what does this have to do with Ietta?

All eyes naturally turned to the angel, but she seemed oblivious, still gazing intently at the sword, her expression more like one of reminiscence than contemplation. After a while, she dazedly looked up at Cheryl sitting across the table, her voice hesitant: "I think I recognize it...?"

What kind of sentence structure is this?
If she truly remembers him, the final question is clearly superfluous; but if she doesn't know him, why did the preceding statements seem affirmative? Or is the girl turning the question back on the questioner, seeking her opinion: Do you think I should know him or not? If I know him, why? If I don't, why? Either way, there must be some reason, right?

Can you tell me?
She stared intently at the gray-haired girl sitting opposite her, the usually composed girl unusually showing a desire to investigate. But this was quite normal; everyone is interested in their own memories, especially since they are always vague and never clearer than reality.

Cheryl smiled, not answering Ietta's question directly, but instead asking, "Have you heard the legend?"

Everyone was taken aback. The young man was the first to react and asked, "A legend about what?"

"Of course, it's the land beneath our feet."

“There are probably many,” Ling said. “Legends of underground mines, legends of the ancient kingdom of Atoliga, legends of the Fesser Mine, legends of the Malacasia Palace, and…” He glanced imperceptibly at the fairy sword on the table: “Legends of heroes.”

“Indeed, Atorica has been a land surrounded by legends since ancient times, both those that have been passed down and those that haven’t, as numerous as the stars in the sky.” Cheryl paused for a moment, then asked, “But I’d like to know, Mr. Ringer, which legend do you like the most, or rather, which one do you care about the most?”

His companions had expected Ling to answer with tales of heroes, the Feather Mine, or at the very least, the Malacasia Palace, as these were all relevant to the current situation. However, after a moment's thought, the young man gave an unexpected answer: "Regarding the vast mineral deposits buried beneath the land of Atoliga, some say they are formed from the blood of a dragon after its death, while others say they are the flesh and blood of an underground god. Miss Cheryl, I would like to know, which of these two accounts is correct?"

He asked very seriously.

From a scientific perspective, it would be better to analyze the geographical environment, geological activity, natural ecology, and climate change of the Atoliga continent. However, as is well known, the Eastern Continent has never been a land that values ​​science. Here, what you consider unbelievable legends may actually be reality.

The gray-haired girl seemed to have anticipated his question and replied without hesitation, "Of course... both are correct."

Are they both true? Could it be that the demonic dragon is real, and the underground evil god is real too? If so, the history of the province of Atoliga is far too rich. Everyone showed expressions of surprise, while the young man humbly asked, "I would like to hear more details."

Auvila also adopted a posture of attentive listening, leaning slightly forward with her hands folded on her knees, displaying a focused expression. These were secrets not recorded in books, known only to the locals.

"The end of a legend is still a legend, but the source of a legend is still a legend." Cheryl said intriguingly, "The ancient hero Italos slew a dragon, and it is said that its blood flowed for three days and three nights without ceasing, and its howls and roars shook the heavens and the earth. But where did the dragon come from, and why did it come? Why did the hero Italos become an enemy of the dragon? Where did she go after slaying the dragon? If you want to know the answers to these questions, you need to seek out another, even more ancient legend, and that is precisely the purpose of your trip."

The girl's voice was deep and magnetic, as if she were reciting an ancient epic. Her fingertips lightly traced the blade of the sword, as if trying to awaken dormant memories. The candlelight cast flickering shadows on her face, making her expression even more mysterious and unpredictable.

Lin Ge reacted quickly: "Paradise Village Assyria?"

“Indeed.” Cheryl nodded slightly. “Everyone knows about Assyria, the paradise of fairies and the home of all spirits, but they don’t know why it has to be Assyria. Why does it have to be this place? Can’t the fairies build paradises in other places? In fact, fairies are inherently free-spirited and unrestrained. They don’t pursue a unified regime. Even the ancient fairy queen was only a nominal leader. If that’s the case, why would they build the so-called paradise of Assyria to confine themselves?”

This is the biggest secret of the Eastern Empire Continent, and it should not be known to outsiders. However, Cheryl believes in the people in front of her and in the contemplation and curiosity in their eyes. She believes that it will not lead to a wrong ending. On the contrary, it may represent another kind of hope.

Therefore, she decided to tell the truth: "That's because Paradise Country Assyria is the origin of the demon race."

"The land of gestation".

"Birthplace".

Give me some cats